Forming apparatus



Feb. 12, 1946. s ss 2,394,819

FORMI NG APPARATUS Filed Jan. 50, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I p l 24 5 "2 /y 0 34 K HQ, 7,5 fi

v lNVENTOR meal; 0. 57/9/55 ATTORNEYS Feb. 12, 1946. SW55 2,394,819

' FORMING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 30, 19 43 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 12, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT F FICE FORMING APPARATUS Jacob n. Stiriss, NewYork; N. Y.

Application January-30, 1943, Serial No. 474,203

2 Glaims. 21. 153-46) This: invention relates t'o'f forming apparatus,

and more particularly toapparatus forformin or bending partially enclosed? channel members, such as channel members used" for turret rail tracks, into a desired accurate shape; for instance', circular shape; while assuring; that each elementof the rail track has arr accurately alike:

profile cross section.

Among the objects" of the-invention is anapparatus for providingthe border-portions ofsuch rails-with grooves or serrations uniformly dis-- tributedalongthe length ofthe'rail track, whiletolerance. 7

Among the objectsvof the invention is also an apparatus. for forming a given channel of a-given shape and cross section profile; such as a; straight channel member having, at least one partiallyopen longitudinal channel, into' a curved channel; member of predetermined curvature and of a predetermined cross. sectionproflle, comprising a forming} member having; a (peripheral .form'ing,

track;-v of i said predetermined. curvature; a. roller member'liavingf. a' circular track defined by. a. generatrix portions of which engage tangentially facing. portions or saidformingtra'ck, and'dfining therebetween the overall'cross section p'ro'-' file of" said secured channel'memb'er'; the pro"- file of the roller generatrix and thefacing cross" section profile of said. forming traekbeing so riph'eral' Wall section the dimensions of. which" be deformed into said" curvedchannel member and atleast one filler member extendingthrough the. partially' enclosed" channel; portion or saidchannelmember so asto' prevent the deiorma- 1 tion of the cross section area of, said' partially enclosed channel section; said'filler member being jso' interconnected withsaidroller member as.

to cause/said filler member to be maintainedCbe-. tween the generatrix of said roller track and the. facing portion ofsaid'track member while successive: portions of said roller track are brought" into engagement with successiveportions'of said forming'gtrack. p

Among the objects] of. the invention is. also. an arrangeme nt" for" producing a. plurality of predete'rminedly spaced pr'edeterminedly' dimensione'd grooves along a: peripheral wall" region' of an endless rail member having a pear'e: maintained" within a certain degree of. tolersince, for instance,.a'circu1'ar' railihavin'g, a circularwal'lisection the diameter of which varies within? a tolerance of and provided with equally spacedgro'oves' the root of whichv has regioncorrelaite'd to the peripheral'region of said railmember and" having} along said indexing; region a" plurality" of predeterminedly spaced registering'position means for holding" said" rail member in a predeterminedly' aligned position relat'rvelytoisaidindex member soth'attl'ie said Wall section and said'peripheralwalijregion of shapedthatarelative motion between'said "iorn'ring member and said rolling"member'along"said" forming track" brings successive peripheral ele--- ments' of said roller trackintoengageme'nt successive peripheral portions of said; forming" track for forming said given channel member into said curved channel' member whilesuccess'rve peripheral portions oisaid' roller track and successive facing portlo ns of said' forming' track define said predetermined channel cross section profile except for channel portions-which are partially enclosed; means for holding" afiixed" a portion of; said given zchannel member; to amortion. of said formingfme'mbei.:wxhiienanothr portion 7, of said given, v channel: member: is: confined between ageneratrix otisai'd' roller trackzand the facing cross; section profile of said forming! track; means lforcausing 'ailrelative 'motionih tween saidrollerl membersand said'iorming memrbe!" for; thereby: causing. said: chan'ell member to w be spaced from said" wallsection' with a substantially higher degree. of"toler'ance, for instance; ofthe order of .003"; comprising an.

index member having a peripheral indexing.

said-rail member is maintained in predetermined alignedfpo'sition relatively to" said index region; a carrier member arranged to be advanced and" retained-in differenhregi'stering positions of said" indexing" member} a'slider" member slidably' mounted on said" carrier member; said" slider member having-- a follower niember adapted" to be movedinto"engagementwitlr said'wal'l sec tion in eacl'fi of the reg-istering' positions Of said carrier member; and a toolguidej element prede termir'iedly spaced'from said follower member on said slid'er member for guiding" a toolfintoem' gagementwith the peripheral region; of said rail member' from'whicl'imaterial is to be removed.

The foregoing and other objects ofthe invention will-be best understood from the following description of exemplifications thereof; reference I being-had to the-accompanying'drawings'where Fig. 1 is a side View of a circular rail track of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of a half section of the circular rail track of Fig. 1 showing the relationship thereof to the remainder of the circular rail track;

' Fig. 2a is a top view corresponding to the solid line portion of Fig. 2 showing the manner in Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line 5 -5 of Fig. 3; 7

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view partly muejvation along line 66 of Fig. 3; and {Fig 7 is a view partly in cross section along line of Fig. 3;. l I l l V The features of the present invention have I. been evolved in connection with the difficulties c that arose in the manufacture of circular rail track rings for gun turrets of the type used in aircraft, and similar applications. Figs. 1, 2 and 2a illustrateonefspecific form of circular rail track formed. by the machinery and methods of the present invention. As shown in the draw- ,i ngs, the circular rail track 29 is of a channel shaped profile or cross section. It has a cylindrical outer wall 2| provided'with an inwardly extending circular rib 22 having-an axially bent portion 23 forming with the adjacent portion of the cylindrical rail wall 2| a' radially confined circular channel 24; a second radially extending rib ,25; ,a third rib '26, provided along its inner periphery with equally spaced grooves or serrations 21 and having at anintermediateportion thereof ,an axially extending circular rib section 28 forming'with the outer rail wall 2| a radially confined circular channel 29 and a fourth rib 3| having an axially extending circular rib section 32 forming with the rail wall confined circular channel 33. a V a It will be noted that the three rib members 22,

; and 3| are shap'ed'so as to provide in addi:

tion to the radially confined circular channels 24, '29 and 33 also inwardly open channel sec tions 34,- 35;. Circular rail channels of the cross section shown in Figs. '1, 2 and 2a, made of alum- 2| a radially of the rail ring at a time with a large number of heat treatments and about two days of labor so required to complete the formation of a single ring. I v

The alternative available method of making such rail rings by casting'involved the use of heavy aluminum casting and subsequent machining of the casting to the accurate dimensions required for such ring with the consequent Waste of aluminum and the use of critical machine 7 tools. i, 1 a v The machinery and process of the present in- ,yention makes 'it possible to form straight extruded aluminum bars of the required accurate 'cross section into an accurate semicircular rail section with asingle heat treatment process within less than half an hour, without modifying the profile of the cross section. One practical form of rn achineryfor forming a straight bar of the required cross section into a semicircular-rail track will now be described in connection with Figs. 3 to 7, illustrating oneform of device for carrying out theprocess of the invention. f

A generally circular forming block4| provided with. a centrally located fixed shaft member 42 is shown held in a horizontal positionby suitably mounting the lower end of the shaft in a suitable pedestal 4. As shown in Fig. 4, the periphery of the forming block is provided with two exterior ribs 45, 46 and two intermediate circular ribs 41 shaped so that when a straight rail bar having a cross section profile shown inv Fig. 1 is placed between :theouter ribs 45, 46 of the forming block, the'entire profile will be aligned with and confined within the outer ribs 46 of the forming blocks. with the two intermediate ribs 41 of the forming block interfitting with the radially open channel sections 34, 35, respectively.

'A'str'aight rail bar 50 isarranged to have one end thereof clamped to'a periphera1 portion of a the forming block 4| by means of a clamping arm- 5| having at'its rear end two ears 52 pivotally mounted on a shaft section '53 extending through the height of the forming 'blo'ck'4l. The in-' wardly facing side of the clamping arm 5| is so shaped and its surface isprovided with'teeth 54 so shaped thatwhen the clamping end of the arm 5| is pressed inwardly against the end of the bar 50, a pull exerted on the barin' the diinum, are actually used for guiding a rotary 'gun'tur'ret of the general type described, for instance, inrPatent 2,206,065. 1 i

Such circular aluminum rail rings are made of two'semicircular sections and each semicircular rail ring section has to be made from an extruded straight channel bar of aluminum havingthe required cross section. -The formation of such semicircular channel-shaped rail guide member from a straightextruded aluminum bar 'is connected with a great many difiiculties.

In order to bendsuch extruded aluminum bar,

. it has to be softened by heat treatment and quenching, and when'so softened by heat treat: ment, it remains soft only for about half an hour and it season-hardens and cannot be 'bent there-l after without repeating. the heat treatment process.

rection of the arrow55 will increase the clamping action exerted by the teeth 54 onlthe end of the bar.

,The clamping endo fth'ei clamping arm 5| is held in its .clamping'position by the inward end of one or morelockin'g boltsfil thr'eadedly mounted in amounting member 62, the two ends of which are provided with stop shafts 53 pivotally Prior to the present invention, the forming of straight extruded aluminum bars into semicircular rings required, highly skilled aluminum metal formers ,using appropriate arbors, 'mandrels, hammers, etc., forv shaping a small part;

engaging holes in two links extending on the V opposite-sides of theiorming block and pivotally mounted-onja; pivot 7 shaft 65 extending through the forming block 4|.';;A handle 66' ex-' tending from themounting memberi62 bf thev locking bolt 6|, may bejpivoted' between an unlocking-position indicated by the dotted line 65? to the locking'position in which itis shown;

After tilting the arm 66 to the unlocking position 66, the two links 64 withftheilockingbolt :VGI carried thereby may be tiltedfrom thelo'cking .position'shown to the positionlindicated by. the

dotted line '66? whereupon the locking arm 5| maybe tilted outwardly on its, pivots 53; the lo'ck-' ing. armjl having two stop pins v58. against which the 'twolinks 164* are swungiwhen .they' are ireei ascents turned from; the. open dotted'line. position :6 6." to the iullxline. locking position. shown; There isfurt-her provideda forming or bending head designated generally as; [0. comprising twol arms; kl; extending on. the opposite: sides of thexforming. block and having their inner ends pivotally mounted. on the shaft portions. 42 ex-. tendingon .thehpposite sides orthef orming. block, hezoute endsofithetwo armsH being joined by aiunction plate 1.2: suitably secured. as by: screws 1.3.;to theends oi the. two. arms; 1-1: and having an outwardly projecting socket, sleeve 14; in which is: mountedthe; bending. arm. 1.5g which is used. for 1 ng'the. forminghead around the shait 4.1 nd. .erlformingthebending operation. Between he; twcarms .1- or the. f rmin -head Hliislocated atormin r ller-- Ht which; is rev lvablv mounted. one; haft; 1.1a havin rectangular end. p rtions slidably" c nfined; within slots: 18: f rmed. in the woheadarmsfl...

The-jun tion plate 12.-

suitably mounted he e n two adjust bolt 19.. arran ed. so that y tu i -th m nwardly the ends of. the roller shaft 1]. are pushed inwardlyso as, to bring the pe iphery of he form ng oller 16. to. the DOS}.- tion where, it lies substantially flush against. the. outer Peripheryof the two; ribs. d5, 46 so that the-roller 16 and the cooperating. acin portions of, the periphery of the forming blQGk. 4| define ac u at ly. e c oss sectional a ea: of. the. crad which the bent bar haste assume when bentinto semicircular shape parts of it. are; being stretched and deformed.

The two forming head arms! I. serve also as a:

pivotal support for the opposite ends of a bending; roller 8|. The bending roller at is of somewhat smaller diameter thanv thebending roller [6; and it is located. on the forming head insuch a. position-that when the bending head Hi isrotated on its. shaft from the position shown in Fig, 3. in the counter-clockwise direction. indicated by, the arrow, the bending roller 81. bends the, Straight; bar 5.0 inwardly against theperiphery of. the forming block while the forming roller 15,,

moves along the periphery of the'forming block thereby forcing successive elements of, thestraight bar to be stretched as .it isbeingbent into.

circularshape while. forcing and confining; all

the material ofthe bar; within. the required, cross; section provided between the: elements: ofytheforming structure so arranged.

Thebending roller 81 isrotatablymo-unted one shaft 82 having rectangular endsslidably rotated in;- slits 83 provided inlateraleXtensions 8,4 of the two arms H, a junction plate; 8.5. suitably'secured to the. two extensions 8.4 and. adjusting. bolts; 86.

serving to adjust accurately the position of the bendingrollerina manner similar to the adjustment of the forming roller 16 described above.

In order to assure that the radially confined circular channel portions 24 of the bent rail track retain their accurate shape while the straight rail is being bent and stretched into its circular shape, there is placed in each radially confined channel 24, 29, 33 a short arbor member having a portion extending opposite the innermost line of the forming roller 16 so as to prevent any material of the rail body from being squeezed into the radially confined channel spaces.

In the arrangement shown, three such short arbor members 9|, 92, 93 are provided for the three radially confined channels 24, 29, 33. Provision is also made to assure that as the forming head is rotated to bend successive portions of the straight channel bar into the required circular rail channels while. the straight channel bar is bent into its circular shape.

In the arrangement shown, the three arbor members 91, 92.,v 93, are moved in. synchronized relation with the. forming roller 16 by connector elements in the form of: strips: of metal, one end of. which. is afiixed as. by welding or' riveting. to an endportion of the arbor orrfilling member, and the other end. of which is secured. to a clamping element 35' and the severalv clamping e1ements95' aresecured to ribs 96 of a supp rt.- ing member 98 arranged for: mounting; between, portions of the lateral extensions 84. as. by arr interlinking pivot bolt 99, so that when the, head. In is rotated on the shaft 42 to advance. theforming roller along-the periphery of the form..- ing block, the several arbor or filling members r 9!, 92, 93 are moved, insynchronism. therewith so that their center regions shall at all timesface the generatrix of the forming roller 16 which; engages the outermostperipheral portions, ofjgthe forming block as the forming. roller is, being adj? vanced along the peripheryof the formin blcck- As shown in the. drawings, the. several, clamping elements 95' maybe securedto'theribs; 9'0; of the supporting block. by pivot pins 9.5". arbor supportingblock. 98 may as. shown; be;- pro: vided with additional holes 9.9. so that on; removing the pivot bolt 99... the arbor support 9.8: may be mounted in. a different adjustedposition, on the forming head, structure Such forming machine makes it possible to bend a straight channel bar into. a semicircular; rail support of accurate dimensions. In Q'IfdfilrtQi form out of straight channel bars a semicircularstructure, such as shown in Figs. 1 and. 2, the bar has to be somewhat longer than the periphery of the semicircular formation in order to pro vide for the two end portions one of which; is held clamped by the clamping arm 5| nearthe starting region of the forming operation, the.

other end of which remains at the other end of the bar after the bar has been bent and formed to provide the semicircular structure, the two straight end portions being then. cut off.

It has been found that. the extruded aluminum channel bar stock is oversize in some places. as; much as .020." or. .025". To secure amoreuniform. circular. rail structure, it, was found; (18811?- able to true the various thicknesses of: the wallof the; straight extruded. channel bar strllctuliablk a; simple planning or end-mill operation.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the novel principles of the invention disclosed herein in connection with specific exemplifications thereof will suggest various other modifications and applications of the same. It is accordingly desired that in construing the breadth of the appended claims they shall not be limited to the specific exemplifications of the invention described herein.

I claim:

1. In an arrangement for forming a given channel member of a given cross-sectional forming member having an outwardly-facing pe V curvature and a cross-sectional profile corresponding to border portions of the cross-sectional profile of the side of the channel member having the channel; a roller member having 'a' circular. outer surface of a cross-sectional profile defined by a generatrix corresponding to the cross-sectional surface profile ,of the other side of the 'channel member, and defining with the facing portions of the forming track the overallcross sectional profile of said curvedchannel member; the profile of the roller generatrix and the facing cross-sectional profile of said formingjtrackbeing so shaped that a relative motion between said forming member and said rolling memberalo'ng said forming track brings successive peripheral elements of said roller track into operative e'ngagement with successive peripheral portions *of said forming track for forming said given chan f nel rnember into said curved channel member while successive peripheral portions of said ripheral forming track .ofisaid predetermined roller track and successive facing portions of said forming track define said predetermined channel I cross-sectional profile except for channel portions which are partially enclosed; a clamp structure movably connected to said forming member and movable to a position in which it clamps'aportion of said given channel member to a portion of said forming member while another'portion of said given channel'member is confined between said roller andthe forming track of said forming member; a substantially-rigid supporting structure movably' connected to said forming member and rotatably supporting said roller member so that a relative motion between said m0ve along said roller track with said roller a curved channel member of circular curvature and of predetermined. cross-sectional profile: a forming member having an outwardly-facing peripheral forming track of said predetermined curvature and a cross-sectional", profile 'corresponding to border portions of thecross-sectional profile of the side of the channel member having the channel; a roller member'having a circu-- lar outer surface of a cross-sectional profile definedby a generatrix corresponding to the crosssectionalsurface profile of the other side of the channel'member, and defining withithe facing portions-of the forming track the overall crosssectional profile of said curved channel member; the profile of the roller generatrix and the facing cross-sectional profile of said forming track being so shaped that a relative motion between said forming member and said rollingmember along said forming track begins successive peripheral elements of said roller track into operative en gagement with successive peripheral portions of said forming track forforming said given channel member into sai'd' curved channel member while successive peripheral portions of said roller track and successive facing portions of'said forming track define said predetermined channel crosssectional profile except for channel portions which are partially enclosed; a clamp 'structure' movably connected toisaid forming member and movable to a position in which it clampsa portion of said given channel member to a portion of said forming member while another portion of said given channel member is confined between said'roller track and the forming track of said forming member; a substantially-rigid supporting structure pivotally connected to said forming member and rotatably supporting said roller member .so that a relative motion between said supporting structure and said forming member causes said roller member to deform said channel member into said curved channel member;

- and at least two flexibly-joined substantiallyrigid filler members extending through the partially enclosed channel portion of said channel member so as to prevent the deformation of the cross-sectional area of said partially enclosed channel section while said channel member is being deformed; and a link structurefint'erconmember so as to be maintained between the gennecting said filler member with saidsupporting structure so as to cause said filler member to move along said roller track with said roller member so' as to be maintained between thegem eratrix of said roller track and the facing portion of said trackmember while successive portions of said roller track are brought into engagement with successive portionsof said forming track.

JAQOB D sT I s 

